Chandigarh, Oct 24 A high-level team led by Rajesh Verma, chairperson, Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and adjoining areas (CAQM), held a review meeting on Saturday with deputy commissioners and other concerned officers from Punjab’s Amritsar and Tarn Taran districts.
The meeting focused on reviewing measures implemented for the comprehensive management of paddy stubble, with particular attention to reducing and ultimately eliminating instances of paddy stubble burning.
The team evaluated both in-situ and ex-situ methods for paddy stubble management, as well as the facilities and infrastructure in place for these efforts in the two districts, according to an official statement.
They also reviewed the actions by the districts in response to the rising number of fire incidents. The team expressed concern over the increase in these incidents and instructed officials to make every effort to reduce their frequency.
Notably, Punjab recorded 542 farm fire incidents between September 15 and October 23 this year, with Tarn Taran accounting for nearly half of them, official data showed.
In Tarn Taran alone, farm fire incidents stood at 257 until Friday, while Amritsar district accounted for 142 incidents.
The commission stressed the need to maximise the use of paddy stubble as fuel in thermal power plants, brick kilns, and industries where such fuel usage is feasible.
The commission further directed that sector-specific nodal officers be assigned the responsibility of ensuring actual utilisation of paddy stubble by their respective sectors and industries, along with regular monitoring and compliance reporting.
Emphasising the need for timely field-level intervention, the commission instructed officers to visit villages and farmers regularly. This is to ensure that farmers are not only informed about the availability of stubble management facilities, but that the necessary machinery and facilities reach them promptly.
District administrations were urged to enhance coordination between farmers, Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs), machinery providers, and other stakeholders to ensure farmers can access residue management solutions without delay.
Given that Tarn Taran continues to report among the highest numbers of paddy stubble burning incidents, the deputy commissioner was instructed to prioritise this issue and intensify field efforts for the prevention and management of such incidents.
The commission also warned that any laxity or failure in taking effective measures would invite strict action and accountability.
During the visit, the team also inspected facilities in Amritsar where paddy stubble is being used as fuel. They visited an industrial boiler at an industrial complex in Amritsar, where paddy stubble pellets are used as fuel.
This visit allowed the team to evaluate the practical utilisation of processed paddy residue and explore the potential for scaling up such productive end-use models.
The commission reiterated that paddy stubble management should be seen as a comprehensive exercise focused on residue management and resource utilisation from the perspective of facilitating farmers.
It was stressed that efforts must be made by all stakeholders, including district administrations, to ensure the effective deployment of available in-situ and ex-situ solutions, channelise residue for productive use, and ultimately eliminate incidents of paddy stubble burning.
(PTI News)
